Welcome
to our coverage of the 2013 Performance Racing Industry
Trade Show at The Indiana Convention Center. We'll
get to the new products soon, but we'll start with the seminars
I attended, which I feel are an absolute necessity for any
performance business. Most other media sources only focus
on the exhibits on the show floor, but for those of you
in the business of performance The Performance Racing Industry
Show is about helping your business grow and prosper. Through
the excellent educational seminars such as MPMC
Education Day and Winning The eRace,
to the AETC Race Engine Conference and
the Race Track Business Conference, The
PRI Show is really about knowledge: the knowledge of business
trends, of best marketing practices, and yes, of the new
products that the manufacturers are unveiling at the show.
There are also many opportunities for networking in the
various pre- and post-show activities, such as the Happy
Hour and the Grand Opening Breakfast.
It's in these casual, relaxed settings that many big deals
are surely struck.
If
you're in the business of performance and have never attended
The PRI Show, you are missing out on the knowledge that
your competitors are gaining. Make a point to attend the
2014 show, and make sure you factor Wednesday's seminars
into your plans.
I
attended The 2013 PRI Show from Wednesday to Saturday. Everything
about my stay was flawless, from the seminars that I attended,
to the new products that I saw, to the hotel accommodations.
By the way, the PRI Housing & Travel office is the way
to go when booking your rooms; you will absolutely get the
best hotel rates if you book through PRI directly. |
Seminars:
MPMC Education Day and Winning The eRace |
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How'd
you like to receive free product training directly from
the manufacturers themselves? That's what the Motorsports
Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) provides at
The PRI Show at their MPMC Education Day.
As a result you'll be armed with correct product info that
you can share with your customers. The MPMC Education
Day included COMP Cams, Flowmaster, Mahle,
MSD Ignition, Jiffy-tite Company and many others.
I attended this one with Painless Performance Products,
where Painless' Dennis Overholser gave
an excellent and easy-to-understand crash course in automotive
wiring and electrical systems. Dennis' presentation was
followed by an informative Q & A session. This seminar
removed a lot of the mystery that has surrounded automotive
electrical for me. |
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| Track
owners / operators: this is for you! The Race Track
Business Conference is designed to create dialogue
and interaction among track operators, sanctioning body
executives, track designers, financiers and attorneys. It's
all about helping tracks innovate, improve safety, attract
more customers and make more money. |
This
is the killer seminar, and it's free. You just cannot beat
this. Winning The eRace is all about helping
performance businesses better understand the various components
of online marketing that are crucial to success. Some of
the topics covered pertain to email marketing campaigns
and proper website design. |
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Winning
The eRace is moderated by Dan Schechner,
Editor of Performance Racing Industry magazine.
Dan is a young, technically-savvy guy who understands the
digital age and how important digital communications are
in today's business landscape. |
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The
first presenter was Lorraine Ball, whose
company RoundPeg (www.roundpeg.biz)
helps businesses create smart marketing strategies. Lorraine
was discussing how any business could benefit by utilizing
email marketing such as through Constant Contact. |
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| I
attended the first Winning The eRace at the 2012 PRI Show,
and I thought that one was well-attended. This one was packed!
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Next
was Tim
Odom, President of The AAM Group,
Automotive Accessories Marketing (www.PartsPro.com). |
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Tim
is the author of "Winning Your Share: How Aftermarket
Retailers Can Compete At The Intersection of Digital and
Brick & Mortar." He discussed how to make your
business more findable to those searching the Internet for
automotive parts and services, and the importance of understanding
the sales process once those customers are in the door. |
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| Next
up was the Social Media Stategy Panel,
with Chris Douglas of COMP Cams, Brian Lounsberry of Motovicity
Distribution and Steve Wolcott of ProMedia. |
Social
media is becoming bigger and more entwined in our society,
and therefore a successful marketing strategy must make
use of it. Douglas (above), Lounsberry and Wolcott all shered
their experience and insight about incorporating social
into the mix. |
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Photos
& videos: The Dragtime News
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